Work in Progress
This series of photographs explores Galveston Island in the Gulf of Mexico and responds to problems of human exploitation of natural resources, urban expansion and our reliance on fossil fuels in an era of climate change. According to recent assessments on the impact of human activity on natural eco systems, the Gulf of Mexico has proved to be high on the list of vulnerable geographical areas in the USA as a result of climate change.
Many of the houses depicted here are raised above ground as a way of avoiding rising sea levels and potential flooding. Here pragmatic solutions offered by architectural design infer symbolic readings of aspiration, giving rise to fantasies & illusions of a better life. The photographs aim to question this and allude towards problems caused by its proximity to petroleum-refining & petrochemical-manufacturing which emit high levels of pollution.
The images were made following heavy snow, a rare event in which Galveston experienced its first white Christmas.
‘It is traditional in urban societies to see nature as a lost paradise. Yet, nature is indifferent to any kind of ethics or esthetics. Nature thrives to survive and develop wherever it can. In contrast, artifacts wither and decay, they can only survive when maintained and repaired.’ (Danchin, 2000)
References: Danchin, A. 2000. Nature & Artifice. Sociology & Epistemology.[online]